Akademik

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A dark bluish or purplish discoloration of the skin and mucous membrane due to deficient oxygenation of the blood, evident when reduced hemoglobin in the blood exceeds 5 g/100 ml. [G. dark blue color, fr. kyanos, blue substance]

- compression c. c. accompanied by edema and petechial hemorrhages over the head, neck, and upper part of the chest, as a venous reflex resulting from severe compression of the thorax or abdomen; the conjunctiva and retinas are similarly affected.

- enterogenous c. apparent c. caused by the absorption of nitrites or other toxic materials from the intestine with the formation of methemoglobin or sulfhemoglobin; the skin color change is due to the chocolate color of methemoglobin.

- false c. c. due to the presence of an abnormal pigment, such as methemoglobin, in the blood, and not resulting from a deficiency of oxygen.

- hereditary methemoglobinemic c. SYN: congenital methemoglobinemia.

- late c. c. due to right to left shunt in congenital heart disease appearing only after cardiac failure. SYN: cyanose tardive, tardive c..

- c. retinae venous congestion of the retina.

- shunt c. any blue color of the entire skin or a region of the skin or mucous membrane due to a right to left shunt permitting unoxygenated blood to reach the left side of the circulation.

- tardive c. SYN: late c..

- toxic c. c. due to methemoglobin formation resulting from the action of certain drugs, e.g., nitrites.

cy·a·no·sis .sī-ə-'nō-səs n, pl -no·ses -.sēz a bluish or purplish discoloration (as of skin) due to deficient oxygenation of the blood

cy·a·not·ic -'nät-ik adj

a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes resulting from an inadequate amount of oxygen in the blood. Cyanosis is associated with heart failure, lung diseases, the breathing of oxygen-deficient atmospheres, and asphyxia. Cyanosis is also seen in blue baby, because of congenital heart defects.

• cyanotic adj.